Show ContentsSwethghan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The lineage of the name Swethghan begins with the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It is a result of when they lived in the county of Cheshire, where they held a family seat at Swettenham. The surname Swethghan is a habitation name that was originally derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. The surname originated as a means of identifying individuals from a particular area. In the Middle Ages people often assumed the name of the place that they originally lived as their surname during the course of travel.

Early Origins of the Swethghan family

The surname Swethghan was first found in Cheshire at Swettenham, a small village and civil parish. The place name was originally Suetenham in the late 12th century which literally meant "homestead or enclosure of a man called Sweta." 1

Swettenham Hall is a country house located there dating back to the 17th century. The first Saxon Lord of Swettenham, Peter, had his estates confirmed by King William Rufus.

Early History of the Swethghan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Swethghan research. Another 63 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1500, 1577, 1602, 1606, 1617, 1618 and 1622 are included under the topic Early Swethghan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Swethghan Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Swethghan has undergone many spelling variations, including Swettenham, Swetenham, Sweetham, Swetnam and others.

Early Notables of the Swethghan family

Distinguished members of the family include Joseph Swetnam (fl. 1617), called the woman-hater, " he kept a fencing school at Bristol. He must be distinguished from his contemporary namesake, Joseph Swetnam, Sweetnam...
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Swethghan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Swethghan family

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Swethghan were among those contributors: Francis Swettnam who settled in Barbados in 1685; Alfred Swettenham, aged 22, who arrived at Ellis Island, in 1923; Constance S. Swettenham, aged 44, who arrived at Ellis Island from London, in 1903.



The Swethghan Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Ex sudore vultus
Motto Translation: By the sweat of the face.


  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)


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